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RICHIE REINHOLDT began playing guitar in his early teens; performing with Country, Rock, and Bluegrass bands in California and Oregon. In 1976, Richie moved to Lake Tahoe where he joined the band “Live Wire Choir,” adding guitar, banjo, and mandolin work to the group. Richie toured with Live Wire Choir throughout the Northwest for four years. Richie recorded two albums with Live Wire Choir; and, the band enjoyed success opening for such acts as: Asleep at the Wheel, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Vassar Clements. Live Wire Choir was well received at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 1978. After Live Wire Choir disbanded in 1980, Richie formed the all-acoustic band “Durkhandle Twist” -- a “dawg” music band which opened for the David Grisman Quintet in 1980. Richie played electric guitar with a variety of Country and Rock bands throughout the eighties. In the late eighties / early nineties, Richie became involved with the formation of Pinegrass, a progressive bluegrass / newgrass band. Richie’s lead vocals, innovative guitar leads, and rock-solid rhythm playing are an integral part of Pinegrass’ unique sound. Richie first met his Pinegrass bandmates while wrestling on the U of M wrestling team. “We’ve been tied together ever since” Richie adds.

JOHN JOYNER has been active in Montana’s music scene for the past fifteen years. John, with others, helped found the Missoula Folklore Society, a non-profit group that promotes concerts and dances. In the mid eighties, John began playing with the “Fairweather Band,” a Celtic quartet that traveled much of Montana. John also played with the “Hellgate Ramblers” on K.U.F.M.’s Big Rock Candy Mountain Radio show. John has been performing with Pinegrass since the band formed in the early nineties. His fiddling influences range from Kenny Baker and Tommy Jarrell to Stephen Grapelli. When not fiddling, John repairs guitars, banjos, mandolins, violins, etc... In addition, John’s reputation as an accomplished mandolin maker continues to grow with each instrument he produces. While wrestling on the U of M team, John described his wrestling style as “somewhat unorthodox, but effective.”

BILL NEAVES began playing music (mandolin) at the age of seven. At the age of ten, Bill took up the fiddle, winning the Montana State Jr. Jr. Fiddle championship just six months later. This was the first of seven consecutive state fiddle titles won. With Bill’s musical influences so deeply rooted in Bluegrass and Texas-style fiddle music, it seemed only natural when he began flatpicking the guitar at the age of thirteen. Bill’s reputation as a multi-instrumentalist continued to grow throughout his teenage years as Bill attended festivals/contests...taking home championships with fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. In 1990, Bill became the lead guitarist in the Phantom Canyon Band; which, appeared in the Turner Broadcasting movie “Montana.” Upon moving to Missoula MT, Bill joined the progressive bluegrass band, Pinegrass, playing mandolin and adding lead/harmony vocals to the mix. Bill’s energetic and improvisational “attack” has been likened to that of Sam Bush. Bill plays “Joyner” mandolins exclusively. The other Pinegrass wrestling alumni describe Bill as “small, but tough as leather and in a weight class of his own.”

RICK RYAN began listening to Bluegrass and other forms of folk music in the late 1960’s. In college, Rick became interested in playing guitar and began learning to play Bluegrass, old-timey, and Irish music in 1977. Rick has played in several bands around Missoula since, including: “The Great Northern Bluegrass Band,” the “Hand-Picked String Band,” the “Downtown Bluegrass Band,” “Fairweather,” and for the past few years, “Pinegrass.” With the abundance of great flat-pickers around, Rick started learning to play upright bass in 1980 to enhance his “bandability.” From 1981-1983 Rick lived in the Puget Sound area performing in “Carolina Quickstep” and “Backgrassward.” Although he is happy playing bass and singing in the band, Rick’s real joy is simply playing rhythm guitar and singing harmony. Rick’s U of M wrestling career came to an abrupt end when he was unexpectedly caught in the infamous “chicken wing” hold by Romanian wrestler “Ludwig hopanchop.”

JACK MAUER traded in piano for banjo and dobro in the early 1970’s. A U.M. graduate, Jack headed north to Canada for graduate studies in Biology and serious diversions in banjo and dobro. After completing his Masters, Jack returned to western Montana and appeared with a variety of groups including “Banjo Jack and Kathy” and “Tin Cup.” Jack’s acoustic influences range from Earl Scruggs and Alan Shelton to Be’la Fleck, Alan Munde, Mike Auldridge and Jerry Douglas. Jack loves to “mix it up” stylistically with bluegrass, swing, country, folk, and even an occasional classical piece. When not playing music, Jack can be found guiding fly fishermen down the waterways of western Montana. Jack’s wrestling career continues during the tourist season - wrestling black bears for audiences all across the K.O.A. campgrounds of Montana.